1973 Pearson 30 Insurance Survey
If you had to find one boat that demonstrates the heyday of production fiberglass boatbuilding, the Pearson 30 might be it. The 10 year production run of over 1000 boats is now a dream from a bygone era, but there is a reason this design did so well, and lots of reasons why they're still going strong today.
Hull - The solid glass hulls of the Pearson 30's get the last laugh when compared to cored hulls from the same era. The cored hulls may have been lighter/stiffer/faster at the time, but solid glass lasts a lot longer without problems. As long as a Pearson 30 hasn't had grounding or collision damage, it's likely that its hull is doing just fine, whereas cored hulls from the '70's are likely to have moisture penetration issues.
Keel - Pearson 30 keels are unique, and not just for the highly-swept shape. They are fin keels, but are integral to the hull - molded as part of the hull laminate. The ballast is internal and sealed with fiberglass in the bilge. So . . . 35 to 40 years later, there are no keel bolts to corrode, and no hull/keel joint to separate. It must have been a trick to do the glass work required for this to be possible, but the result is pretty impressive.
Rudder - From the "what were they thinking" file, comes the "scimitar" shaped rudder seen on many designs from the 70's, including this one. Has anyone ever seen a fish with a fin like that?? Oh well, not every innovation is a step forward, and at least this one is hidden below the waterline. This boat had very low moisture content in the rudder, but a cracked sleeve where the shaft exits the hull - apparently quite common on these boats.
I do wonder if this highly-unbalanced rudder is the reason for the long tiller in the cockpit. A balanced rudder might have needed a shorter tiller and left more cockpit space open.
Deck - Well, there is some balsa in these boats, and the decks are prone to moisture intrusion. It's key to check this out before buying one.
Interior- Perhaps the clearest sign of the production runs of past years is the fiberglass hull and deck liner inside the Pearson 30's. It requires a substantial tooling investment to create those liners, and a company only goes to that extent for a long production run. The slide-out/fold-out conversion system that allows the port settee berth to become a double berth is a great example design creativity. However, the sink within he companionway seems a little odd - I wonder how many people have stepped in the sink by accident - especially on port tack.
- As with all older boats, be careful of the systems on board. This boat had a Homestrand pressurized alcohol stove, which is a lot different than using a non-pressurized Origo alcohol stove. The electrical system was also outdated, and luckily, the Atomic 4 gasoline engine had been replaced with a diesel engine. The combination of old gas engines, old electrical systems, and unsealed engine compartments create a boatload of major findings if a surveyor comes aboard. These are not optional issues, they are USCG regulations and must be addressed.
